I’ve Seen the Future
Revelation 21 (especially verse 4)
As I stated in one of the earlier Devotional Tidbits, I would use the movie Say Anything as an illustration in these devotionals more than once. Well, here is number two. Near the beginning of the movie the female love interest, Diane Court gives her valedictorian address. In her speech, she states, “I have seen the future, and all I can say is … go back.”
Her father loves that line, but most everyone else seems lost by her words. She declared that day, a truth common to most people graduating. It doesn’t matter if that graduation is from high school or college. There is a fear about the future. There are so many insecurities in our unstable world. After the events of September 11, 2001, uncertainty is one of the certainties we must now cope with.
Christians should have a more stable outlook on life, shouldn’t we? We are given so many assurances in God’s word about our future. Today I want to look at a glimpse of heaven. John was given a first hand glance of heaven, he then wrote down his experience for us. Revelation chapter 21 speaks to this New Jerusalem and its beauty, but I especially love the comforting words of Revelation 21:4 in referring to our living with God: He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
Isn’t it amazing? God will wipe away every one of our tears!!! No more pain!!! Wow!!! The comfort we will receive in Heaven is seen in this proclamation of no more tears and pain. But what about happy people, those with no pain, those with no tears, what will they get from Heaven? What else will Heaven be like? Christians might not ask these questions, for we know we will be happy to be with God and praise Him. However non-Christians might want to know a little more about Heaven.
Well, this is what I say to folks who wonder what Heaven will be like. I simply tell them to think of the most wonderful delight they experience here on earth. I then tell them to multiply that feeling by ten, a hundred, even a thousand. Heaven will be even more wonderful than that, I say. My son asked me the other day if he could sleep in Heaven. I assured him that if he wanted to sleep in Heaven, that God would let him. For me, Heaven could be like watching the Cubs win the World Series each year, or like watching the Pittsburgh Steelers never losing to the New England Patriots again (sorry for the sports references for those who don’t like sports).
The main point we must understand is that Heaven is not full of suffering as we find in this world. We should look forward to a time like that. I know I look forward to any day during the week when I am not stressed out. I can hardly imagine an eternity without stress, can you? But it does exist for those of us who make Jesus our savior while we reside in this world.
May your week be blessed by knowing that future comfort of Revelation 21:4.
